Thank You Bicycle: Visiting Hallstatt Lake in Austria (Hallstätter See)

Hallstatt is well known as one of favorite places to visit while you are in Austria. This small village is known as one of oldest salt mines in Austria, and scenes of Hallstatt are very common as wallpapers and postcards with Austrian motifs. And to be honest, it is very very beautiful place.

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But less known fact is that one of most serene and most beautiful bike path in Austria - R2 Salzkammergutweg beginning exactly at Hallstatt. Or ends... depending on your preferences ;) Hmm... that's maybe not bad idea, since I rode whole R2, it may be better to end it at beautiful Hallstatt. Not that rest of R2 is not worth viewing, quite opposite. R2 is one of most beautiful long tracks I ever rode and every meter counts. Anyway I am not going to write about whole R2 since it differ significantly from one part of path to another, which is to be expected from 210 kilometers long route.

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If you are planning to visit Hallstatt by bicycle keep in mind that regular bike path is not in line with road reserved for cars. Actually, it is not even on same side of lake. While cars road follows west side of lake, bike path follows less rocky and more calm eastern coast. Which is excellent, since that side will give you some unforgettable views. That does not mean that you cannot ride west side, if you do not mind sharing road with cars. Just keep in mind that it is strictly forbidden to enter into tunnel at entrance to Hallstatt. Instead that, on left side of the road you will find small path to enter village itself.

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So, you can make full circle around lake, but if you have to choose one side, for sure choose R2 path and eastern side of the lake. It is more beautiful and you will be on route strictly reserved for cyclist except for one small part before rail station. Yes, amazingly - rail station Hallstatt is on opposite side of village. While mention rail station - boat to Hallstatt is included in price. Also if you feel tired and want to shorten your circle - they accept bicycles on deck. At least that what they told me, I didn't tried ;)

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Hallstatt circle is something I strongly recommend to any cyclist or hiker. It is not really important if you are there on summer or winter, most likely R2 will be clean for ride. And you will enjoy at every meter of this circle which will show you Hallstatt Lake in its full beauty.

R2 Salzkammergutweg route, courtesy of http://www.bikemap.net

Camera info: Sony A6000, Lens: Sigma 19mm f2,8 DN
Post processing: Adobe Lightroom CC

[//]:# (!steemitworldmap 47.577684 lat 13.671112 long Visiting Hallstatt Lake in Austria (Hallstätter See) and beginning of famous R2 Salzkammergutweg Bike Route d3scr)